Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Spider Zagato

The Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Spider by Zagato is a fascinating and somewhat mysterious piece of automotive history. Originally built as an 8C with chassis number 2111038, this car is the subject of debate among historians, with one suggesting it may have been an 8C 2600 rather than a 2900B. Wearing the Italian license plate “34713 TO” (indicating registration in Torino), the car was presented at the 1937 Milan Motor Show featuring a sleek Zagato Spider body. However, its fate after this period remains uncertain. Some evidence suggests that its original chassis may have been repurposed, with the Zagato body removed and the frame used for another racing car. A particularly compelling claim links Felice Bonetto, a well-known racing driver, to the car in its altered state. It is believed that in April 1938, Bonetto drove an entry labeled #150 in the Mille Miglia, using this chassis but fitted with amore traditional Monza body. If true, this would indicate that the car had already undergone modifications less than a year after its debut in Milan.Nearly two decades later, around 1957, the mystery deepened when the Zagato Spider body was reportedly installed on a different 8C 2900 chassis (s/n 412.011). This modification was carried out by Jack Hayward, a British enthusiast and owner at the time. Whether this means the original 2111038 chassis was permanently lost, scrapped, or still exists in some other form remains unclear. The fate of this Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Spider by Zagato remains a puzzle, with gaps in its history that may never be fully resolved. Whether it was completely dismantled, reconfigured, or still exists in some form today, it remains an intriguing chapter in the rich legacy of Alfa Romeo’s legendary 8C series.